Website channels news from around county

Group focuses on local coverage with Internet TV

LINDSAY PEYTON, CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT

Published 5:30 am, Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Photo: Lindsay Peyton

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LINDSAY PEYTON: FOR THE CHRONICLE
READY FOR ACTION: The MetroWeb TV crew members produce a variety of programming, including newscasts, entertainment series and reality shows. From bottom, left, Nikie Brown manages the technical aspects of the scene and Victor San Miguel discusses dialogue with Kimber Ray Sadler and Al Hayter. Tyler Forner, operations manager, positions the mic, while Gary Parker, president and videographer, prepares to capture it all on film. less

LINDSAY PEYTON: FOR THE CHRONICLE
READY FOR ACTION: The MetroWeb TV crew members produce a variety of programming, including newscasts, entertainment series and reality shows. From bottom, left, Nikie Brown ... more

Photo: Lindsay Peyton

Website channels news from around county

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A television station serving Montgomery County recently launched on the Internet — creating a home for local news, weather and sports, as well as a guide to area restaurants, real estate and entertainment.

Gary Parker founded MetroWeb TV in response to his perception that there was a lack of local news coverage and a surplus of underutilized local talent.

When he moved to Montgomery County 20 years ago, Parker said he could only find Houston news on television. He did not know what was happening in his own neighborhood.

"I noticed there was no local TV coverage," Parker said.

Parker decided to put his years of experience in videography to use.

He tried various avenues to produce his own news segments, working with cable companies and then a group that was streaming sports live on the Internet.

Parker said he soon realized that technology had developed to the point that Internet could function as a television station.

"All these things just happened in the past couple of years," Parker said. "Facebook and social media became more effective, and now the quality of film on the Internet is just as good as watching it on television."

He started seriously working on creating his own station, with a vision of shows produced locally that could be seen all over the world.

Parker said he wanted to help out-of-state grandparents watch their grandchildren's football games and traveling businesspeople keep track of what is going on at home. He also wanted visitors considering a move to the county to be able to get a preview of the community.

"There's a lot more going on out here than you might think," Parker said. "It's an interesting county and there's a lot of talent our here and not a lot of places that take advantage of it."

The result is a creative group producing a wide variety of programming, including newscasts, entertainment series and reality shows.

"This is a worldwide broadcast to a local audience," Parker said.

He added that since the website has only been officially up for a month, the station is still a work in progress.

"What we're doing changes everyday," he said. "We're still on the fringes of creation."

In the meantime, the team members are gaining recognition in the community.

"People are getting used to seeing us out filming events," Hayter said. "And more local people are going to want to tell their stories."

MetroWeb TV's crew maintains that local news is worth their time and dedication.

"Local news is what directly affects your life," San Miguel said. "In Montgomery County, the population is growing so much, and that means local news will affect that many more people."

San Miguel said he believes a local station can help unify the growing county. "It's the kind of thing that keeps a community together," he noted.

Sadler said she feels having a local Internet station will be especially beneficial to a rapidly growing community. "We want this to be a go-to station to learn about the area," she said. "We also want to bring some light to the community."

Parker said he foresees the station growing and possibly exporting his business model to other suburban areas and community organizations.

For now, the crew at MetroWeb TV is content to promote local businesses and make celebrities out of local actors and area residents.

"There's some incredible talent in the area, and it's always taken a back seat," Parker said. "But I'd put us up against anyone in the world."